Motor-vehicle.



No. 652,673. Patented June 26, I900.

.B. GREFFE.

MDTOB VEHICLE.

(Application filed Oct. 13, 1899.)

I 4 Sheets-Sheet I.

(No Model.)

No. 652,673. Patented June 26, I900. J. GREFFE.

MOTOR VEHICLE.

(Application filed Oct. 13, '1s99. 4 Sheets-$heet 2.

THE noams Perms co. PncTo-u'mc" wAsumm-ou. n. c

No. 652,673. Patented June 26, I900.

J. GREFFE.

MOTOR VEHICLE.

(Application filed'ot. 13, 1899.)

4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

(No Model.)

THE "dams vzvzns C0 PNOTO-UTNQ. WASHINGTON. D. c.

Ne 652,673. [Patented June 26, I900. J. GREFFE.

MOTOR VEHICLE.

(Application filed. Oct. 13, 1899.) A (No Model.) 4 Shaets-Sheet 4.

THE Ncmms PETERS 120., PHorqumo..wAsmNu1ou, o. c.

- UNITE JOSEPH GRlEFFE, OF PARIS, FRANCE.

MOTOR-VEHICLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 652,673, dated June 26,1900.

Application filed October 13, 1899. Serial No. 783,530. (No model.)

1'0 aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOSEPH GREFFE, a citizen of the Republic of France,and a resident of Paris, France, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Motor Fore Carriages for Vehicles, of which thefollowing is a specification.

My present invention relates to improvements in motor-cars or similarvehicles, the object being to provide an improved motor fore carriagefor such vehicles constructed, combined, and arranged as fully describedhereinafter, and specifically pointed out in the appended claims,reference being made to the accompanying drawings, wherein-- Figure 1 isaplan view of a vehicle provided with the improved motor fore carriageactuated by electricity. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the vehicle. Fig.3 is a plan view of another vehicle having a modified steeringmechanism. Fig. 4 is a side elevation of same.

Like letters refer to like parts throughout all the figures.

Referring to the drawings, A represents a frame mounted upon two wheelsand which supports the mechanism, a storage battery, the seat of themotorman, be. The vehicleframe is pivotally secured to said frame A bymeans of a joint-bolt C, passing through an eye in the beam J.

B is an arched rack secured at the-rear part of the frame A. The centerof said arched rack or sector coincides with the center of the aforesaidjointbolt, around which the fore carriage may be moved.

D represents the seat for the motorman, said seat being secured on theframe A and moving with the latter.

E is atoothed pinion arranged between two flanges fitting over and underthe toothed sector l3 and preventing the oscillation of the forecarriage without hindering the other movements thereof.

F is a sprocket-wheel keyed on the shaft of pinion E. Said pinions aremade integral and actuated by means of the hand-wheel G through theagency of chains extending around the sprocket wheels 11 H H, as clearlyshown in the drawings.

J is the beam of the vehicle K, having an eye P. On said beam is formedat L a suitable socket through which works the shaft of the pinions F E.

The fore carriage may be otherwise moved by means of the pinion M, madeintegral with the pinion E and adapted to be rotated by means of thehand-wheel N through the agency of a chain extending around a sprocketwheel h, as shown. Whateverbe the arrangement of the steering mechanism,the storage battery R is suspended under the axletree of the forecarriage by means of cords, chains, or equivalents T T, extending overwindingdrums V V, serving to raise and lower the storage battery, asrequired. Another steering mechanism is shown in Figs. 3 and. 4:,representing the fore carriage as actuated by a petroleum-motor, saidsteering mechanism differing from the aforegoing in that, first, thesector A is not toothed and adapted to freely slide between two rollersG; second, a reservoir B is provided to contain petroleum or any othersuitable liquid, said reservoir serving at the same time to secure thehandle or steeringbar 0, the reservoir B being mounted upon the axletreeof the fore carriage, and, third, the handle or steering-bar O isadapted to directly actuate the fore carriage. In either case the forecarriage is characterized by its sector or segment, provided or not withteeth and moving about thejoint-bolt, said sectoror segment being guidedin such manner that it prevents longitudinal movements of the forecarriage without hindering transverse movements thereof. It is furthercharacterized by the peculiar arrangement requiring but a single boltpassing through the eye of the vehi" cle-beam for insuring the backwardand forward movements of the vehicle.

The advantages obtained by the new construction of fore carriage consistin that the latter may be actuated by any desired motor, that thesteering may be effected from the seat of the fore carriage, as well asfrom the seat of the vehicle proper, and that the longitudinaloscillations and vibrations are completely avoided, while the forecarriage and hind carriage may be independently moved in transversedirections, said carriages being jointed together by means of the bolt0, so that the improved arrangement avoids any deformation and providesa most simple con struction. Furthermore, the improved fore carriagepermits the application of any desired winch for raising andlowerin gthe storage battery when an electric motor is employed and theutilization of the liquid-reservoir for securing the handle orsteering-bar when a petroleum-motor is employed.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire to-secureby Letters Patent, is-- 1. The combination with the rear carriage of avehicle, and a forwardly-projectin g beam on said carriage, and havingan eye, of the fore carriage comprising a frame and the axletree, avertical pivotal bolt extending through the said eye and the aXletree, atoothed segment carried by the rear portion of the frame of the forecarriage, the center of the circle of said segment coinciding with thecenter of the pivotal bolt, a vertical shaft carried by the rearcarriage, a toothed wheel on the latter shaft gearing with the toothedsegment,

and means adapted to actuate the shaft of the toothed wheel.

2. The combination with the hind carriage of a vehicle of theindependent fore carriage, means for pivotally connecting the hindcarriage to the fore carriage, a storage battery arranged under theaxletree of the latter, and suitable winches for raising and loweringsaid storage battery as required, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination with the hind carriage of a vehicle, of theindependent fore carriage, means for pivotally connecting the hindcarriage to the fore carriage, a suitable reservoir on the aXletree ofthe latter, a handle or steering-bar secured in said reservoir andsuitable connections between said bar andthe pivoting fore carriagesubstantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twowitnesses.

. JOSEPH GREFFE.

Witnesses:

J. ALLISON BOWEN, J. S. ABERCROMBIE.

